


I'll Take The Risk

by idektvshows



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Heartbreak, Hurt, Love, Reunion, mentions of anne sampson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-18 00:09:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16106639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idektvshows/pseuds/idektvshows
Summary: Fix it fic for after episode 6 because I'm still destroyed over how awful it was.All you need to know is that Julia's alive.





	I'll Take The Risk

**Author's Note:**

> This work hasn't been beta'd so please be nice - the tone of the characters is probably wrong too but please leave me comments, I love feedback :D

The sound of his phone vibrating against the glass abruptly woke him up from his short lived sleep. He grabbed his phone, not particularly caring and answered it. 

“PS Budd” he informed whomever it was tiredly into the phone, without much care or relevance.  

“David, it’s Sampson” her tone firm and blunt.

“What can I do for you, ma’am?” he asked, slightly testy before stifling a yawn.

“Be ready in five minutes?” She smirked gleefully down the phone, taking delight in hearing the blatant tiredness evidently thick in his voice. “A car is on its way to you - please don’t ask questions” she told persistently and the line went dead.

Taking a moment to collect himself, he swung his legs from beneath the covers, his feet hitting the carpeted floor, scrunching between the material, he scratched his head and pinched his nose as his eyes closed. Exhaling, he stood up and stretched his back before heading to his wardrobe.  

* * *

 

“Thank you” the one and only Julia spoke directly to Anne, she smiled gratefully whilst sat at her dining table, mug in hand, she was nervously playing with her hair.

“I’ll warn you,” Anne turned to Julia, arching her brow, her voice unaware of what was to come. “He’s had it rough, had the entire police workforce against him at one point, beaten to a pulp, framed and a bomb strapped to his chest. He’s a changed man so its uncertain how he might react when he sees you.” she explained uncertainty. Images of the bomb strapped to his chest many weeks ago flashing through her mind. 

Julia understood, surprisingly appreciative for the officers input, but she stared at Anne absent-minded as if her opinion wasn't relevant, “I’ll take that risk” she smiled politely.

“Right then, I’ll leave you too it. Hope all goes well.” Anne gave her a tight smile in response and made her exit.

 There was great animosity between  both ladies of power and Julia had hoped one day she and Anne could perhaps agree on something and civil, thankfully, they were civil on all things PS David Budd, after all Julia loved him and Anne wanted what was best for a member of her workforce - his health came first. 

 

After the arrests of those responsible for the attempts on her life and the conspiracy for those crimes, Julia started pulling strings and calling in favours, including requesting the transcripts of the surrender of David. Her biggest favour of all was getting him to her apartment so she could explain, although upon receiving the transcript of what went down during his surrender, her desire to see him made the request desperately justifiable and brought it to fruition. As devastating and traumatic as the aftermath of the explosion and getting to grips with just how distraught he was, hearing what David attempted to do as a consequence, it gave her new and fresh hope that maybe, just maybe, he did feel the same after all - she knew that the most important aspect of his life were his kids and therefore, if he was prepared to leave them fatherless then surely she did mean something to him despite what had happened.  _What exactly did that mean for them? She needed to know before she made her grand entrance._

 

* * *

 

Something was eerie about the flat when he arrived, it hadn’t been occupied, well, since  _that_ day and although she wasn’t there, she  _was_ there. Entering her flat, he could smell her and feel her presence albeit he felt as if he was breaching an invasion of  _her_  privacy.

"Sampson?" he called out with reservation upon entering. He had expected to meet Anne outside and then go in or something but the officer outside really wasn't much help as he told David to go up and the door was unlocked.

The emotions he felt had come flooding back too quickly and were too deep so he took a moment to regain himself. In the midst of that, movement in the corner had alerted him and upon being intrigued enough to investigate further he was met by someone entirely different and therefore came to a sudden, jaw dropping, heart stopping halt.

He couldn’t believe his eyes

_It was her._

Sat there bold as brass.

She looked different, he hated to say the word, and he knew _she'd hate it more_ , but he associated her with the word 'fragile', but that’s what she looked, fragile, bruised, but hopeful.

He had completely froze for approximately ten seconds and all he could hear was his breath, his blood rushing through his veins and his heart slamming against his chest. It was as if time had stopped and he was in a suffocating and trapped bubble. His eyes threatened to spill tears, burning as a result of him trying to fight against his body's natural functions - he felt like he would explode with the impending threat on his body that he couldn't consent, nor stop. He could feel his cheeks becoming damp but was unable to control this reaction. He felt faint, his heart threatening to burst against his ribs  - either way the pain he had carried since her 'death' now felt counterfeit.

“David” she breathed, her eyes threatening to spill from the sheer relief she had felt. With obvious apprehension, she slowly approached him and cautiously placed her left hand on his cheek and her right hand against his muscular arm, both done with the intention to help offer comfort and stability as a foundation. He finally came back into the room, letting out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding. 

“David” she whispered tearfully as she looked at him in the eyes. Her voice uneasy, threatening to crack as she tried to swallow the cries that challenged to scream out of her. She softly but gingerly stroked his damp skin with her thumb, a small smile forming at the corner of her mouth. 

She had imagined this moment frequently when in the safe house, had thought of at least one hundred scenarios of how she'd come back, make her entrance but this one was not one that she had on her radar - she hadn’t fully prepared herself and her own feelings for him upon seeing him in the flesh. Him here, beneath her fingers and her gaze was dissimilar to what she had played out in her mind. She realised seeing him again brought all the pain and suffering back but also it made her yearn wholly for him. She didn't realise just how she missed him until he was stood in front of her, but in that moment, she realised how much loved him too - it was all new, it was plain as day. 

“Julia” he finally whispered his broken reply despite it being more of a rhetorical question. His hands involuntarily moving to hold her head as he looked at her, he wasn't sure she was real, he frowned as he inspected her but then she nodded as if she was replying to his thoughts. “It's you” he looked at her as if she was a painting on a wall in an art exhibit, his lips smiling but his eyes full of anguish but then he pulled her close into his tight embrace.

Her head fell on his shoulder, feeling like she was home, her hands wrapping around him securely as she inhaled his scent, the scent reminded her of when she felt safe because he made her feel safe. She felt his entire body ripple with emotion as he allowed a sob to escape -  the sheer agony and torment of his sob broke her heart and in that moment, she knew what to do - she held him tighter and she realised she had someone to live for, there was a reason for all the pain and hurt they had collectively suffered. 

“It’s ok” she said softly, assuring him as best as she could, smiling relief, almost convincing herself. She promised to hold him and she did, she put her hand on his head, played with his hair gently as if she was comforting a little child. 

“I’m ok, you're going to be ok. I’ve got you” she soothed him through his sobs, giving him promises she intended to keep.

* * *

 

She placed two small glasses on the table to accompany the bottle of whiskey in the middle, almost intentionally, informing him through subtext that they probably would need the drink in order to get through such a difficult conversation.

“I wasn’t planning on any of this” she informed him, certainly and almost dangerously, her voice almost warning him of whatever she might say might not necessarily be what he wants to hear but she proceeded with caution anyway and began pouring the whiskeys.

He watched the liquid fall into the glass, “Any of what?” he replied eagle eyed and very specifically. She pushed the glass to him with intent and he immediately knocked it back, needing the sourness to help give him courage.

“The faking of my own death, the suddenly calling in favours, to get  _you_ here.” she laid empathises on the  _you_ and looked him directly in the eyes as she took her seat, had a mouthful of the bitterness and watched him take the whiskey bottle and pour another before knocking that one back too, he hissed as the liquid burned him.

“I understand why. I just-” he started with hesitancy, obviously avoiding using the words and ran his hand through his hair.  “I just wish-” he sighed and looked at her hopelessly. He had always found explaining his feelings and the process of them difficult, he saw her face soften which prompted him to give her something. “It doesn’t matter, none of it does because you’re alive” he reached out not entirely sure for what but instead Julia took his hand indefinitely.

“David” she said softly, her thumb stroking over his grazed and bruised hand.  “I cannot fathom how difficult the last month has been for you whilst I’ve been recovering from my injuries in a safe house.” she started, finding it herself, difficult and looked at their hands together. “Although,” her eyes met his, “I hear you’ve been quite the Sherlock Holmes, if you pardon the pun” she dangerously joked and he couldn’t help but smile at her - he had missed her dry humour. “But you did exactly what I expected of you, you went rogue and you figured out who the leak was and because of your consistent efforts, you have given me a second chance.” she explained, talking in code this time, many layers of subtext to comprehend and identify.

“Forgive me Julia, but as an officer, I did what any other officer would've done, had they been in my position" he attempted to justify himself and the reasons for his unrelenting need to solve her 'assassination'.

"David" she sighed, slightly displeased. "We both know that's just not true" she titled her head and pondered his actions. He just stared wide-eyed at her, maybe she did know him quite well after all. 

The sexual tension between them was palpable, the glances, longing and lingering looks, their breathing, the need to be in close proximity despite their heightened emotions and trauma both suffered. Julia let go of his hand reached for the whiskey, pouring another glass as she felt her emotions simmering under the surface and she knew she needed to rein them in.

“Why am I here?” he asked suddenly, watching her, trying to act as nonchalantly as possible even though they both knew exactly why, he just wanted to test the waters and to see if she would utter the words. But he was met with his answer, the thing she did best - with a look, a knowing look as she sipped her whiskey, a look she had definitely given to him before, her eyes averted to his empty glass.

“After the indefinite arrests on Aikens, Craddock and Nadiya, I needed to know exactly what I was dealing with so I got all the reports and transcripts... After what happened with us, well, I didn’t think you’d ever forgive me if you saw me on BBC evening news as the newly appointed Prime Minister, so the only thing that seemed plausible was to get you here.” she started, feeling slightly silly for how hard and insistent she fought.  “But around the same time that I requested to see the reports and transcripts, I began discussions about potentially coming back and when I received them, I recall a certain specific detail that Vicky mentioned to your boss...” she finished, tilting her head, tiptoeing around the issue and met his gaze.

They were both playing games, this was now  _her_  tactic of getting him to acknowledge what she meant without having to go  _there._

“Oh that” he replied, attempting to brush it off as merely nothing.

“ _Oh that_?” his inattentive behaviour fuelling her annoyance as she looked furious with him. “You attempted your own life because of  _me_ ” she stood up, exasperated, frustrated but slightly broken by his lack of care and responsibility of the seriousness of his actions.

“Julia, please” he reached out for her hand desperately. “Let me explain” he begged miserably as she looked at him with a mixture of contempt and sadness. “My entire job was to protect you, that was my only objective and I failed. What happened was a reaction out of guilt, I was at my lowest and I was heartbroken because-” he stopped, reluctant to admit it, looking anywhere but her. “I was heartbroken because I couldn’t live with your death on my conscience." he allowed the ramifications of his confession to hover in the air. She felt tormented that for a second he might've had to live with her death as a burden for his life. "I know I got overly protective and found myself in too deep because I got emotionally attached, you knew it, we both bloody knew it!” he confessed, agitation evident in his Scottish accent, which was coming out thick as did his anger. “But I realised,” he paused visibly trying to calm down, “too late that it wasn’t my fault, I was set up to fail and if I had known that, I wouldn’t of done what I did” he justified himself fully. 

Her look at him had changed, still utterly dismayed and aghast on the inside but she felt sympathy and sadness for him because he was able to identify none of it was his fault - he had no control. 

“Your children David,” she stopped as she was getting far too emotional. “the most important part of your life, they could’ve been fatherless!” she shook her head. “And that would’ve been on me” she hissed, hating herself and him for admitting it but also for his recklessness - she hated that how she felt was selfish, she knew that but it was heartbreaking for all of them.

“Can we not do this?!" he yelled, swiftly refusing to divulge in this matter.

Silence filled the air, immediately regretting raising his voice, the room itself might've been quiet but between them it was so loud. 

“You know," she begun, her fingertips against the edge of the table, "regardless of how hard it was for you, hearing Vicky tell them that you tried to blow your brains out because you thought you’d lost me, it gave me,” she paused and took a breath, knowing her confession would undoubtedly cause irrecoverable damage and change everything. “it’s silly you know,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes at what she was about to admit, “but it gave me hope, hope that what I said to you before that damned explosion meant something, and what we did meant as much to me as it did to you” she confessed laying her heart on her sleeve, avoiding all eye contact. "Not only did they almost lose you, but  _I_  did too" she hating herself for saying too much and losing her tether but it was the truth. 

“Julia” he stated firmly but tentatively and closed the proximity between them. He reached for her hand, she allowed him to take it. “My role as your PPO ended the moment that bomb exploded and I failed to protect you” he stated, his eyes welling up at the flashbacks engraved in his memory. “But what happened between us meant something to me too - I was cheated out of the chance to speak those words aloud” he sadly declared.

“What are you saying?” she replied, the idea of hope running through her brain, her heart beating a little faster. 

“I’m saying that, and to quote you badly, I want to be right beside you, because that’s what I chose back then and that is still what I choose now.” he squeezed her hand a little tighter and offered her a reassuring smile.

She didn’t say anything, she allowed his words to hang in the air. She nodded, trying to respond as nonchalantly as possible. “Right, well, that’s good news” she raised an eyebrow in self satisfaction.

“I’m glad” he offered her a supportive smile.  They stood there for a few seconds just allowing the words to settle before he closed more space between them. "For what it's worth I'm sorry too" he whispered truthfully. Julia looked at him, she didn't say anything - what was there to say? Sometimes actions speak louder than words. She placed her fingers on his jaw and looked at his cuts and bruises. 

"They truly did a number on you" she murmured, feeling sad. They both knew more words needed to be said but right then was not the time. 

“So you’re really going for Prime Minister?” David suddenly questioned, intrigued.

“I am.” she nodded. “You know, I want to help people, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s the right decision.” she explained thoroughly and assuredly. “Given  _our_ newly found status, how do you feel about it?” she wanted his take seeing as they were now together.

“You know the press will have a field day? We’ll make the front covers, headlines” he reiterated to her on something she was expert in knowing.

“I don’t doubt that," she shrugged unaffected, "I am used to being plastered everywhere. My concern is can  _you_ handle it?” she challenged him carefully as they both intertwined their fingers together.

“Like I said, I’m not your PPO anymore, professional we do not have any association or connection so there is no breach of the code of conduct or our professionalism to be slandered against” he responded in a surprisingly professional manner, his accent coming out thick which secretly began to turn her on. “But to answer your question, you know what you want and you’ve never been shy to admit it, it's what you want, so I think you should embrace it” he told her, gazing lovingly at her, because that is what she was to him now, the woman he loved. He let go of her hands and gingerly touched her hip, easing himself closer.

_"It's what you want, so I think you should embrace it"_ she thought about his words which rung true to her, she placed her cheek against his and whispered,

“Do you know what I want right now?” she asked lingering before moving away and looking down at his lips and to his eyes as her heart thudded against her rib-cage in anticipation.  Her hands coming up to rest on his upper arms, smoothing over his jacket with a mysterious but teasing intent.

“No” he shook his head slowly, a sparkle in his eye. She raised an eyebrow and leaned in as his hand slowly curved around her hip and resting on her lower back, his other hand cupping her cheek, stroking her smooth skin. 

“Liar” she cunningly told him as her lips teasingly ghosted his, both of them smiling into the kiss.


End file.
